Lina* was 36 when the exhaustion hit. Getting up in the morning was a daily struggle. The once-energetic accountant also piled on the kilos despite sticking to her regular eating and exercise habits. Lina knew something was not right and visited her doctor. After a blood test, she discovered that her problems stemmed from her thyroid gland in her neck.
Just like Lina, many women suffer from hypothyroidism unknowingly. In fact, women are more likely to develop this thyroid disorder compared to men. Unfortunately, when you lead a busy lifestyle as a career woman, mother, wife or even grandmother, it’s easy to dismiss the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism as effects of stress.
If you have been feeling unwell lately, don’t hesitate to visit your doctor. All it takes is a simple blood test to determine if your thyroid is working normally. But don’t lose heart if you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism! Treatment is simple, painless and you could get your life back on track soon.
*Patient name is not real
Reference:
Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, Kronenberg HM. William’s Textbook of Endocrinology. 12th ed. USA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011.